U.K. stocks rose slightly on Friday as the pounded surrendered early modest gains on data showing that British business confidence has fallen for the first time in five months.
Lloyds Bank's business barometer fell by seven points to a score of -18 on worries about the prospect of a no-deal end to Britain's post-Brexit trade transition with the European Union on Dec. 31.
Separately, survey data from the Nationwide Building Society revealed that U.K. house prices rose for a fourth straight month. The seasonally adjusted house price inflation accelerated to 5.8 percent, the highest rate since January 2015, from 5.0 percent in September.
The benchmark FTSE 100 edged up 0.1 percent in lackluster trade after ending on a flat note in the previous session.
Tour operator TUI AG rose over 1 percent. The company has confirmed the signing of a further sale and leaseback or SLB agreement with BOC Aviation Limited for two new Boeing 737 MAX-8 aircraft.
International Consolidated Airlines Group advanced 1.7 percent. There is pent up demand for travel, but it will take until at least 2023 for passenger demand to recover to 2019 levels, new chief executive Luis Gallego said.
AstraZeneca fell half a percent after it agreed to sell the commercial rights to Atacand and Atacand Plus in around 70 countries globally to Cheplapharm Arzneimittel GmbH (Cheplapharm).
Glencore dropped 1.2 percent after cutting its 2020 coal guidance.
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